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Sunday, November 10, 2013
Navy christens next generation of aircraft carrier
The Navy christened the Gerald Ford today with the traditional smashing of a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow of the ship — the most technologically advanced aircraft carrier the U.S. has built.
The Ford is the lead ship in the Navy’s next class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. It’s designed to get more fighter planes in the sky in less time and to be ready to incorporate unmanned aircraft into its air wing. It’s the first carrier redesign in four decades and is scheduled to join the fleet in 2016.
“She is truly a technological marvel,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert said in a webcast ceremony at the Newport News, Va., shipyard where the Ford is being built. “She will carry unmanned aircraft, joint strike fighters, and she will deploy lasers.”
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“She is truly a technological marvel,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert said in a webcast ceremony at the Newport News, Va., shipyard where the Ford is being built. “She will carry unmanned aircraft, joint strike fighters, and she will deploy lasers.”
ReplyDeleteAircraft carriers are obsolete. They started off as fleet auxiliaries a century ago, scouting and screening for the battle line, before taking their place as the chief repository of U.S. Navy striking power during World War II. Battleships became obsolete when they came in 200-mile range from aircraft operating from carriers, and now carriers are vulnerable to ballistic missiles at a 1500-mile range from land. Ships currently have no defense against a ballistic missile attack.
Carriers have problems. The GAO has noted the problems with the new $14 billion (each) Ford-class carriers. Citing cost-growth, technological immaturity and schedule delays with the Navy’s Ford-class carrier program, a government watchdog has recommended the Pentagon re-examine requirements and testing and conduct a cost-benefit analysis. The carrier's dual band radar, arresting gear and the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System are all in arrested development. GAO:
“Key ship systems face reliability shortfalls that the Navy does not expect to resolve until many years after [Ford] commissioning, which will limit the ship’s mission effectiveness during initial deployments and likely increase costs to the government.”
The JSF F-35C carrier variant was first delivered three years ago but hasn't ever been on a carrier principally because the tailhook doesn't work. Because of stealth design, It's too close to the wheels.
But there's nothing to worry about now. Construction of the vessel is only 70 percent complete and its delivery has been postponed to February 2016.
When the standard missiles latest version can intercept even the long range ballistic missiles, at that stage would it not make them quite relevant again Don? You need a way to not have fixed aircraft bases otherwise missile attacks will only go out further and further across the pacific.
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